Don't Be Discouraged

"Don't Be Discouraged"
8-cm CD single cover
Single by Megumi Hayashibara
from the album Feel Well
LanguageJapanese
B-side"Breeze"
ReleasedApril 23, 1997 (1997-04-23)
Genre
Length4:11
LabelStarchild
ComposerHidetoshi Sato
LyricistMegumi
Megumi Hayashibara singles chronology
"Successful Mission"
(1996) 		"Don't Be Discouraged"
(1997) 		"Reflection"
(1997)
Audio
"Don't Be Discouraged" on YouTube

"Don't Be Discouraged"[a] is a song by Japanese voice actress and recording artist Megumi Hayashibara. Written by Hidetoshi Sato with lyrics penned by Hayashibara,[b] the song was released as a single on April 22, 2009, via Starchild.[1]

It is one of Hayashibara's most popular singles, coming close to the commercial success of her earlier Slayers single "Give a Reason."[2]

Background and release

"Don't Be Discouraged" served as the ending theme for the television anime series Slayers Try, the third season of the Slayers franchise.[1] For the single release, the song was coupled with "Breeze", which was used as opening theme for the same series.[3] This became the first Slayers theme song single released by Hayashibara in which the lead track served as ending, as opposed to the opening theme for the series. Hayashibara wrote the lyrics for "Don't Be Discouraged," while Satomi Arimori—lyricist of the two previous opening themes for Slayers, "Get Along" and "Give a Reason"— wrote the lyrics for "Breeze."[4]

Both "Don't Be Discouraged" and "Breeze" were first included on the compilation album Slayers Try Treasure Box released on June 21, 1997.[5] The soundtrack album of Slayers Try released on August 21, 1997, included the TV-size versions, in addition to two previously-unreleased remixes of each track.[6] "Don't Be Discouraged" was fist included on a solo album by Hayashibara in Feel Well released in 2002.[7] As for "Breeze," the song was first included on a Hayashibara album in Plain released in 2007.[8]

Both songs were included on Hayashibara's Slayers theme-song compilation albums Slayers Megumix (2008)[9] and Slayers Megumixxx (2020),[10] while only "Don't Be Discouraged" was included on Hayashibara's greatest hits albums Vintage White (2011)[11] and Vintage Denim (2021).[12]

The original single was made available for streaming worldwide on March 30, 2021, along with the entire Megumi Hayashibara discography.[13]

Commercial performance

"Don't Be Discouraged" achieved significant commercial success, debuting and peaking at number 4 on the Oricon charts,[14] and selling 105,590 copies on its first week.[15] Its first-week sales marked the first (and to date, only) instance of a voice actor's solo single surpassing the threshold of 100,000 copies on the Oricon charts.[16][17] The single charted for eight weeks in total, with reported sales amounting to 211,340 copies.[15] It is Hayashibara's second best-selling single to date after "Give a Reason," and it was also her highest-charting single until being surpassed by "Northern Lights" in 2002.[18]

The single was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of Japan in May 1997.[19]

Track listing

All music is composed by Hidetoshi Sato.

CD single/digital release track listing[20]
No.TitleLyricsArrangementLength
1."Don't Be Discouraged"MegumiKeiji Soeda4:11
2."Breeze"Satomi ArimoriSoeda4:26
3."Don't Be Discouraged" (off vocal version)  4:11
4."Breeze" (off vocal version)  4:24

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Japan (RIAJ)[21] Gold 200,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Notes

  1. ^ Stylized in lower case on the Japanese release.
  2. ^ Under the alias "Megumi" stylized in all caps.

References

  1. ^ a b "「スレイヤーズTRY」～ドント・ビー・ディスカーレッジド [廃盤]". CD Journal (in Japanese). Retrieved 12 March 2026.
  2. ^ "林原めぐみ「タイムカプセル」インタビュー". Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha Inc. 16 June 2015. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
  3. ^ "林原めぐみの人気曲ランキング【2026】". RAG Music Ranking (in Japanese). Retrieved 12 March 2026.
  4. ^ "Breezeの歌詞 | 林原めぐみ". Oricon News (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
  5. ^ "スレイヤーズ Try Tresury Vox". HMV Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved 12 March 2026.
  6. ^ "「スレイヤーズTRY」～トレジャリー☆BGM". Amazon.co.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 12 March 2026.
  7. ^ "林原めぐみ / feel well". CD Journal (in Japanese). Retrieved 12 March 2026.
  8. ^ "林原めぐみ / Plain [廃盤]". CD Journal (in Japanese). Retrieved 12 March 2026.
  9. ^ "林原めぐみ、「スレイヤーズ」ベストCDを発表！新TVシリーズの主題歌もリリース". CD Journal (in Japanese). 30 May 2008. Retrieved 9 March 2026.
  10. ^ "声優・林原めぐみさんが贈る『スレイヤーズ』原作刊行30周年を記念したアルバムが3月25日発売！　ジャケ写＆アー写、収録楽曲も公開". Animate Times (in Japanese). 29 February 2020. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
  11. ^ "林原めぐみ、"伝説"から約10年ぶりのベスト盤決定". Barks (in Japanese). 6 May 2011. Retrieved 9 March 2026.
  12. ^ "林原めぐみが30年にわたるアーティスト活動でリリースしてきた全シングル41枚＆全オリジナルアルバム14枚がサブスクリプションサービスにて一挙配信開始！". LisAni! (in Japanese). 30 March 2021. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
  13. ^ "【林原めぐみ】全シングル41枚＆全オリジナルアルバム14枚がサブスクにて一挙配信開始！". EnterJam (in Japanese). 30 March 2021. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
  14. ^ a b "don't be discouraged | 林原めぐみ". Oricon News (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
  15. ^ a b c "オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」" [Oricon Ranking Information Service 'You Taiju']. Oricon. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
  16. ^ Yoshida, Kei (29 January 2019). "拝啓、林原めぐみ様《週刊READING LIFE vol.17「オタクで何が悪い！」》". Reading Life (in Japanese). Retrieved 12 March 2026.
  17. ^ "けいおん!!」OP&ED・放課後ティータイムがオリコン週間1位-2位を独占、初動売上は1期から大幅増！". The Natsu Style (in Japanese). 4 May 2010. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
  18. ^ "林原めぐみのシングル売上TOP20作品". Oricon News (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
  19. ^ "一般社団法人 日本レコード協会" (To access, enter the search parameter "don't be discouraged" in the field "作品名"). www.riaj.or.jp. Retrieved October 17, 2025.
  20. ^ "don't be discouraged - EP by Megumi Hayashibara". Apple Music (in Japanese). 1997. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
  21. ^ "Japanese single certifications – Megumi Hayashibara – Don't Be Discouraged" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved 2026-03-19. Select 1997年5月 on the drop-down menu
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